The prior art recognizes that it would be desirable to provide garments which do not require alteration of the waist structure in order to accommodate persons of several sizes. See, for example, my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,268 in which I disclose and claim a garment having an improved waistband construction by which a single gven garment usually fits persons having waist sizes in the range of three standard sizes. In this way, for example, a pair of pants having a nominal 36 inch waist will fit those with waists between 35 and 37 inches. Numerous advantages are provided by this construction, including reduction of the inventory needed to be carried by a merchant, simplification of manufacturing operations, elimination of much tailoring operations, and significant savings of time to garment purchasers, as waistband alterations are eliminated. The waistband shown in my previous patent also had the quality that it tended to grip other garments worn, such as a man's shirt.
The construction shown in my previous patent has enjoyed substantial success but there is always room for improvement. In this particular case, I found that the manufacturing operation could be simplified. I also have discovered that it would be desirable to design a waistband providing improved adhesion to other garments worn; for example, improved adherence of a man's shirt to the waistband ensures that his trousers stay up while his shirttail stays tucked in. Perhaps most importantly, my previous construction also required the use of stretchable knit fabric for the visible portion or "shell" of the trousers or other garment made using the waistband of my invention; for reasons of aesthetics, more versatility in material choice would be desirable.